BPD use of force raises concern

“I am always so frustrated at the fact that the very institutions and officers that are to ‘protect and serve’ are the ones inflicting such injustice, harm and violence against our communities,” DeFino wrote in an email. “Time and time again, Americans have witnessed the abhorrent behavior of police officers with little to no accountability or action on behalf of the institution itself. Police brutality often overlaps with racism and the hypercriminalization and profiling of BIPOC communities, and this case is no exception.”

Alexander Gore, a junior double-majoring in political science and Spanish, also expressed concern regarding the U.S. legal system. Gore said he recognizes that not all police are “bad apples,” but he expressed concern about the “institutionalized violence” shown by the police force. Gore further feels the police force in New York state is no exception to his concern.

“I don’t know how many examples it has to take to show that there is a problem of institutional violence within the [U.S.] police force,” Gore said. “We think we live in such a harmonious state here in New York, but even here things like this happen. I think it’s pretty awful and my full support goes out to [Waddell] and his family.”c